by Ramzi Rabadi
Staff Writer
The University of La Verne women’s tennis team won its first match of the year against Biola, but was outplayed this weekend by the more experienced Redlands and Occidental teams.
The victory against Biola was pulled off, 5-4, with excellent play from junior Emily Judd.
Judd’s game was the key for La Verne’s win, taking the match to three sets.
“Emily Judd won a pivotal singles match,” head coach Erin Hendricks said.
Last Friday, the Leopards were annihilated at home by the undefeated Bulldogs, 5-0.
“We played horrible,” said graduate student Catherine Padilla.
In the doubles match, which consisted of senior Tiffany Hall and Judd, the Leopards were dominated in the first set. In the second set they were able to get themselves under control to grab three games.
“Our doubles were better than our singles,” sophomore Pauline Duran said.
According to Hendricks, the Bulldogs are a good team and it would be difficult to defeat them.
The following day, the Leopards received the same result, losing 9-0 to the Occidental Tigers in Eagle Rock.
According to Hendricks, the score is misleading because a lot of the matches were very close.
At one point, sophomore Tracy MacArthur and Hall were in close, down 5-4, before losing.
Also, Hall and Judd, playing doubles, were in the same situation, down 5-4, and had the same result as before, a set slipped away.
The Leopards had similar matches all day long, where nothing went their way.
“We played with a lot enthusiasm,” said junior Sandy Thay.
Overall Hendricks was pleased with the play against the Tigers.
Today, the Leopards will play an important match at 2 p.m. against Caltech at home in the Blickenstaff Tennis Pavilion, which may determine seedings in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) tournament.
“Were going to beat Caltech,” Judd said.
Hendricks agrees that today’s match is a must win, for a good finish in SCIAC.
